Sex party attack shame

A businessman attacked a man at a sex party when he could not find his trousers.

Married entrepreneur Thomas Wardrop, 34, had attended the party with a business colleague when he launched his attack on the host.

That grievance may have been because you could not find your trousers or it could have been because you thought he was acting in a sexual way towards your partner - although that would not have been surprising, given the nature of the gathering.

Judge Jacqueline Beech

Preston Crown Court heard Wardrop and his partner attended the party in Buckshaw Village on May 9 and spent the night drinking, taking cocaine and engaging in sexual activity.

But at around 8am, Wardrop became angry and set upon the man who had welcomed him into his home.

Wardrop pushed the man towards the window, and punched him while his victim put his arms up to protect himself, asking: “What’s wrong Tom? What’s upset you?”

But when Wardrop head butted the man in the face, he called for his partner to call the police.

As the man tried to get to the front door, Wardrop continued to throw punches at his head.

He then drove away in his white BMW, dressed only in a T-shirt, the court heard. The police arrived to find the victim covered in blood and blood spattered in the house.

Wardrop was found on the driveway of his home in Quinns Croft, Leyland, sitting inside a Range Rover.

He was arrested but told officers: “What? I’ve done nowt.” He refused to give a sample of breath for drink driving analysis.

His victim was taken to Chorley Hospital where he had cuts and bruises to his head and a deviated septum.

In a statement to the court, the couple said their home had been violated by Wardrop and they had to redecorate to get rid of the blood stains.

The man also suffered nightmares and flashbacks following the attack. Since the incident, Wardrop’s wife has left him, he has sold the Range Rover and now has £50,000 in credit card debt, the court heard.

He pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm and failing to provide a specimen of breath for analysis.

Judge Jacqueline Beech, sentencing, said: “You suddenly developed a sense of grievance towards your host. That grievance may have been because you could not find your trousers or it could have been because you thought he was acting in a sexual way towards your partner - although that would not have been surprising, given the nature of the gathering.”

She added: “Your partner tells the court she knows you would not have behaved in that way if you had been sober.

“The answer to that is not to drink excessive quantities of alcohol with or without cocaine. If that is how they individually or together affect you, you must stop.”

Wardrop’s defence lawyer told the court his client “now accepts his behaviour was wholly unacceptable and he overreacted for a number of factors - not least the drink and cocaine that was on offer at the party.”

Wardrop was handed a 21 month jail sentence suspended for two years with 250 hours of unpaid work, £2,500 costs and a 12-month driving ban.